Earlier this year, we talked about how to fill your ministry calendar. Now that schools are letting out and summer calendars are filling up, it's time to make sure your ministry's summer events are ready to welcome families affected by disabilities!

In today's blog, you'll find a few ideas for ways to serve families in your community! Thank you to some of our church subscribers for sharing ideas with us, as well as some followers over on Instagram! Feel free to add any ideas you may have in the comments below!

Event Ideas

When looking at the following list, you can think about it in terms of disability-specific events or events that include whole age groups, families, etc regardless of disability. Some of these events can be planned in no time at all and some of them take a bit of extra effort.

Open play-date at your church's playground. Siblings welcome!
- If your church's playground is not particularly disability-friendly, look for an accessible playground in your area!
Youth pool party or family swim at the local pool/a church member's pool
Inclusive VBS
- Learn more here!
Trip to a local amusement park for adults with disabilities
VBS class for adults with disabilities
Playground or splash pad meetup
- Bring a cooler of popsicles to help beat the heat!
Potluck/ice cream social
Foam party in the parking lot with bubbles and music
Family bowling night
- Reserve a few lanes and open the invitation! I've had several experiences of blowing alleys giving discounts for disability-friendly events, too.
Church Game Day
- Enjoy some air conditioning and play board games, do karaoke, make friendship bracelets, paint--whatever you like!
Bounce houses in the church parking lot
Skate night
Host a day camp for individuals with disabilities
Family movie night/Sensory-friendly movie
Organized trips to local attractions like farms, zoos, etc. (If a church member has a farm or homestead, see if they would open to hosting a farm day event!)

Consider Hosting a Respite

Summer can be a stressful time for some families. A practical way your church can serve families impacted by disability in your church and your community is through hosting a respite.

If you've never attended or hosted a respite, it can be similar to other events your church has hosted for kids or teens. This is a time that parents can drop their child/teen/adult (depending on your resources) off for an event at church and go have some time to themselves.

Many churches use a buddy system at respites to make sure every participant is safe and gets the attention they deserve. Respite can be as simple as a couple hours of stations for playing games, watching a movie, doing a craft, and hearing a Bible story.

This is an excellent way to give parents a break, spend some time together or with their other children, or just get some rest. I once had a mom at a respite tell me she was going to take a nap for the two hours we were playing with her son! What a blessing!

However you choose to invite families and individuals impacted by disability to events at your church, be sure to let them know they are welcome and loved. Who knows, your splash pad meetup could be the first step to them becoming a part of your church family!

Need support getting respite nights started? Check out Nathaniel's Hope and 99 Balloons!